Device for frosting cocktail glasses



March 11, 1969 w. E. BOUNDS ET AL 3,431,749

DEVICE FOR FROSTING COCKTAIL GLASSES Filed March 17, 1966 FIG-i 5 /8 a /2 3 TIIErE L J 1; 4 35 4 A; :;i 4/

INVENTORS. WILLIAM E. aouuos ELMER s. MOI2I2\S JZQM/ ATTORNEY 3,431,749 Patented Mar. 11, 1969 3 431 749 DEVICE FOR FRosrIN COCKTAIL GLASSES William E. Bounds, 1205 Pine Ave., and Elmer S. Morris,

207 S. Poinsettia Ave., both of Manhattan Beach, Calif.

Filed Mar. 17, 1966, Ser. No. 535,081 US. Cl. 62-293 Int. Cl. F25d 3/10, 3/12, 17/02 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE can outwardly against the rim of the glass.

This invention relates to a device for frosting cocktail glasses, and more particularly to such a device utilizing a pressurized liquid spray which when deposited on the glass vaporizes to provide the desired cooling effect.

It is highly desirable to pre-chill cocktail glasses to achieve the utmost satisfaction from the drink contained therein. This end result is generally achieved either by keeping such glasses within a refrigerator or rolling ice cubes around the inner surfaces thereof. Devices have been developed in the prior art which provide decided improvement over these conventional techniques wherein a pressurized liquid which evaporates at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, such as carbon dioxide or Freon, is sprayed on the glass and evaporates thereon to provide the desired cooling effect. Devices of this type of the prior art have several shortcomings. First, they tend to be overly complicated and expensive in their construction. Further, many of such devices are not as quickly and easily installable with commercially available pressurized cans of cooling liquid as would be desired. Further,

such devices of the prior art spray most of the liquid over the bowl portions of the glass and utilize more of such liquid than is necessary to achieve the desired cooling effect. Experience has indicated that the most effective sensation of coolness can 'be achieved if the rim of the glass where the drinkers lips contact is cooled.

The device of this invention overcomes the shortcomings of prior art devices in providing a single, highly economical platform-actuator assembly which rfits over and is supported on a commercially available spray can filled with the cling medium. The platform-actuator assembly of the device of the invention is of simple and economical construction and can readily be placed on and lifted off the spray can with which it operates. Such spray can provides a base support mount for the platformactuator assembly and thus the amount of material and labor required for the fabrication of this unit is minimized. Further, a. unique spray'dispenser mechanism is provided in the device of the invention which directs the spray outwardly to form a wide cooling band which runs around the rim of the glass.

The device of the invention comprises a platformactuator assembly which fits over the top of a conventional pressurized spray can and which includes a spray actuator unit which rests on the spray nozzle of the can. The platform-actuator assembly is held on the can so that it has freedom of motion along the longitudinal axis of the can but has little freedom of motion transversely thereof. The platform-actuator unit has a fiat ring shaped United States Patent C6 platform portion on which the rim of the cocktail glass to be chilled is placed. A centering ring is provided to help locate the glass on the platform. The actuator unit includes spray dispenser means for directing the spray emitted from the can outwardly against the rim of the glass when such glass is pressed downwardly to cause the spray nozzle to be actuated.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved device for frosting cocktail glasses.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a device for frosting cocktail glasses which is of simpler and more economical construction than similar prior art devices.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved device for chilling cocktail glasses which provides a concentrated band of frost around the rim of the glass.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an improved device for chilling cocktail glasses which is simple to install on and detach from a commercially available spray can.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a preferred embodiment of the device of the invention,

FIG. 2 is an elevational cross sectional view illustrating the platform-actuator assembly of the preferred embodiment of the device of the invention taken along the plane indicated by 2-2 in FIG. 3,

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along the plane indicated by 3-3 in FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the plane indicated by 4-4 in FIG. 2, and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross sectional view illustrating the operation of the spray dispenser mechanism of the preferred emobdiment of the device of the invention.

Referring now to the figures, platform-actuator assembly 11 is cylindrical in form and includes a flat ring shaped platform portion 12, a centrally located spray actuator and dispenser portion 14, and a side portion 16 for mounting the assembly on a spray can 17. Platformactuator assembly 11 fits over the top of spray can 17 with the spray nozzle 18 of the can seated within spray actuator and dispenser unit 14. Spray can 17 may be a conventional aerosol type can filled with a liquid such as Freon, with nozzle 18 being urged upwardly by a spring. Spray is dispensed from can 17 when nozzle 18 is depressed. The platform-actuator assembly is free to move longitudinally relative to can 17 but is restrained against transverse movement by means of fingers 19 formed in side portion 16, which abut against the sides of the can. Platform portion 12 has a rim 13 running around the edge thereof to facilitate the centering of the cocktail glass.

Spray actuator and dispenser mechanism 14 includes a base portion 22 having an aperture 25 formed in the 'bottom portion thereof through which the nozzle 18 fits. Wall 26 is tapered to facilitate the entrance of nozzle 18 into aperture 25 where it finally seats in abutment .against tapered wall 27. Integrally formed with base portion 22 is an undercut top portion 28 which forms part of the spray dispenser mechanism. Top portion 28 has a plurality of longitudinal slots or flutes 30 formed therein and has narrow relatively thin pads 32 extending out therefrom. In an operative emodiment of the device of the invention pads 32 have a thickness of the order of .003 inch. Cap member 35 is press-fitted over spray dispenser portion 28 with portions of its bottom edge 39 in abutment against pads 32. Thus, a narrow circumferential passage 40 is formed between edge 39 and the top of base portion 22. Small holes 41 are provided in the top of actuator mechanism 14 to provide venting for spray can 17.

The device operates as follows: When cocktail glass 42 is pressed downwardly against platform 12, platformactuator assembly 11 moves downwardly along the sides of can 17 in the direction indiacted by arrow 45. With such downward movement, the actuator nozzle of can 18 is depressed by wall portion 27 causing the emission of a liquid spray as indiacted by arrows 48. The spray passes from nozzle 18 through channel 50 from where it passes itno space 52 where it abuts against cap 35 and is forced downwardly through flutes 30. From flutes 30 the spray is dispersed radially outwardly through slot 40 and impinges against the rim of the glass. The spray is thus directed to provide the cooling eifect where it can be utilized to optimum advantage.

The device of this invention thus provides a simple and highly economical device for efiiciently applying a cooling spray to a cocktail glass. A spray dispenser mechanism is provided to direct the spray outwardly against the rim of the glass where the cooling can be most eifectively utilized. Expensive fabrication and cost of materials are minimized and utilization of a commercially available spray is simplified by providing a unit which fits over the top of such a spray can and utilizes the can itself as a base support therefor.

While the device of the invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it is to be clearly understood that this is intended by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation, the spirit and scope of this invention being limited only by the terms of the following claims.

We claim:

1. A device for chilling a cocktail glass comprising:

a pressurized spray container, having an actuator nozzle,

a cooling liquid contained within said container,

said nozzle when depressed being adapted to emit said liquid from said container in the form of a spray, and

a platform-actuator assembly supported on the top portions of said can for actuating said nozzle to cause a spray of said liquid to be directed against the rim portion of said glass, said platform-actuator assembly comprising:

a fiat ring shaped platform forming the outer top portion of said assembly,

a side portion extending downwardly from said platform for centering said assembly on said can and preventing any substantial transverse movement thereof relative to the can, and

a centrally located actuator and spray dispenser mechanism extending inwardly from said platform, said actuator and dispenser mechanism including:

centrally located actuator means seated on said nozzle for actuating said nozzle when said platform-actuator assembly is moved downwardly relative to said can along the longitudinal axis thereof,

an undercut portion extending upwardly from said actuator means having a plurality of longitudinal flutes formed in the outer wall thereof, said undercut portion further having a plurality of narrow flat pad members extending outwardly from the bottom edges thereof, and

a cap member fitted over said undercut portion, part of the bottom edge of said cap member abutting against said pad members,

an aperture being formed in and extending through the centers of said actuator means and said undercut portion, a fluid path thereby being formed between said nozzle and the outside of said assembly, said path extending through said aperture, said flutes and the spaces between said pad members,

whereby when the rim of said glass is pressed against said platform portion to depress said platform-actuator member relative to said can, said nozzle is actuated to dispense a spray of said cooling liquid through the spaces between said pad members and against the rim portions of said glass.

2. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein said cooling liquid is Freon.

3. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein the side portion of said platform-actuator assembly has fingers formed therein, said fingers abutting against the sides of said can for centering said assembly thereon.

4. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein said actuator means includes a tapered wall portion of said spray mechanism, said nozzle abutting against said tapered wall portion.

5. The device as recited in claim 4 wherein said spray mechanism has a tapered wall portion for centering said nozzle to facilitate the seating thereof on said actuator means.

6. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein said platform includes a rim running around the edge thereof to facilitate the centering of the cocktail glass.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,373,579 3/1968 Federighi 62293 3,383,879 5/1968 Tice 62-293 2,587,075 2/1952 Tice 6262 2,749,715 6/1956 Tice 62--62 3,000,195 9/1961 Federighi 62-64 XR ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner.

W. E. WAYNER, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

